Parents Give $30,000 For Becahi Scholarship

A gift of $30,000, donated in memory of Mary Elizabeth Zubia, who died of cancer in 1990, will underwrite the newly formed Zubia Memorial Scholarship at Bethlehem Catholic High School.

The gift, presented to the school yesterday by Mary Elizabeth's parents, Ann Marie and Joseph Zubia of Bethlehem, will bring the school's endowment cash funds to $260,000, with additional pledges of $150,000 for the coming year.

According to Barbara Jo Gorman, the school's public relations director, the endowment campaign, which was started last year, has a five-year goal of $1 million.

The Zubias have designated their gift be used for the scholarship fund established in memory of their daughter 10 years after she graduated from Bethlehem Catholic High School in 1984.

Anna Marie Culver, the school's director of development, said the scholarship will go to students in need of financial aid.

"We will determine on a yearly basis the student most deserving of this scholarship," she said.

Culver said that each year one or more students will be chosen for a full or partial scholarship by a committee consisting of one of the Zubias, a member of the school's board of trustees and a member of the school's administration.

Culver noted that Mary Elizabeth, who was a cheerleader and honor student, was "well liked by the faculty and her peers."

"Our number one priority after Mary Elizabeth died was to help the school," said Joseph Zubia. "Bethlehem Catholic was the basis for our children's success in their professions."

The Zubias have two other children, Joseph and Regina, who graduated from Bethlehem Catholic.

"The scholarship fund is in memory of Mary Elizabeth," he added. "There will be other memorials in her memory."

One of the other memorials donated by the Zubias is a spirit award to be given at graduation to a senior chosen by the faculty.

School Principal Richard Culver said the scholarship fund will especially help single-parent families who might find it difficult to afford tuition. The current tuition at Bethlehem Catholic is $2,300 a year.

"This will help us as tuition goes up," he said, adding it costs $6,000 annually per student in public schools. "Obviously tuition has to go up. Our policy has always been no one is ever denied education because they can't afford it. This helps to make sure we can keep that policy."

According to Ann Marie Zubia, the family hopes their donation will encourage others who knew Mary Elizabeth to contribute to the scholarship fund.

"We strongly believe in Catholic education," she said. "Anyone interested in donating to the scholarship would be appreciated. Mary was well known through the area since she worked for the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce."

She says the couple also plan to hold a fund-raiser once a year to build up scholarship funds.